Twelve tips for medical teaching in low-resource settings

Abstract

Teaching in a low-resource setting comes with its own challenges and pitfalls. Many concepts, ideas and strategies can be transferred but need to be adapted to the different environment. This article highlights some of the challenges and obstacles that healthcare professionals working in this setting might encounter when setting up an educational intervention. The following twelve specific tips are aimed toward individual healthcare workers, independent charities, and smaller non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who wish to initiate small-scale teaching projects or larger educational ventures. The article covers general matters to consider prior to embarking on this journey and includes cultural, educational, linguistic, and social aspects.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Ruaraidh MacDonagh, founder of HIPZ, and Pamela Allard, HIPZ programme manager, for their help and the opportunity to work in Zanzibar. We also would like to thank all the other HIPZ volunteers who have worked with so much dedication to improve healthcare across Zanzibar.

Disclosure statement

The authors of no conflict of interest to report.

Notes on contributors

Alexander Vogt, MD MRCP and Shuang Wang, MBBS BSc MRCPCH, are a medical and a pediatric registrar with a long-standing interest in medical education. During their year working with the charity Health Improvement Project Zanzibar (HIPZ) at Kivunge Hospital, Northern Zanzibar, they were involved in setting up various teaching programs for the medical and nursing staff. Their work included bedside teaching, weekly training sessions, introduction of monthly Morbidity and Mortality meetings, and clinical teaching days. They now wish to share their experience through tips and guidance for healthcare workers embarking on similar ventures.